This week has been bloody awful, hasn’t it? Fifty Latinx LGBTQIA people were gunned down in Orlando last Sunday. That wasn’t even the first mass shooting in a gay bar this month. Yesterday lunchtime UK Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered by a far-rightwing extremist as she walked out of a library. I’ve walked around all of this week with what felt like a rock sitting in my guts, full of a sadness and fear that just wouldn’t lift. In short, it’s bloody sucked this week, hasn’t it? Which, my lovelies, is where the Irish football fans come in. They’re like a sparkling, off-key ray of (let’s admit it, somewhat inebriated) light in a world gone grey.
A bit of background: There’s a football (fine, Americans: soccer) championship on at the moment here in Europe- the Euros. Some fans (I’m lookin’ at you, England. I’m lookin’ at you and I have my Disapproving Teacher Face on ’cause you are not making yourselves look good) have been rampaging through France being terrible– getting themselves arrested, being horrible to children, the lot.
Y’know who’s not being awful? The Irish. If the English are behaving like Slytherin fans (and not even awesome Slytherins), the Irish are basically Griffinpuffs. Huffledors. Good humoured, helpful and FABULOUS.
I mean, they’re helping people change their flat tyres:
And while some other fans we could mention have been starting fights with other teams supporters, our lot had.. a different idea:
Irish and Swedes uniting to belt out some Abba- a thing of beauty. #coybig #irishfans pic.twitter.com/8Rqh1ds9Tc
— Paddy McKenna (@PaddyMcKenna) June 13, 2016
Of course, we wouldn’t be Irish if we didn’t get at least one tongue-in-cheek jab in at our English neighbours.. (NSFW language in this one too):
And sure, what’s a tournament without a song (or six)?
Sometimes you just don’t know how things are gonna work out. What’ll you do?
And at the end of it all? Tidying the streets after them (oh, and saying some NSFW things, btw):
So, what do ya think? Irish football fans: best or, yep, best? I’ll give them this: they made me laugh my ass off for the first time all week.
If you really want to confuse USAn folks (not me, I did my research) call it by its full name – Association Football. I usually use futbol to distinguish it from American football if I think my audience might get confused, but that’s just me.
Those are some great video clips of awesome times. I’d like that “Takin’ Over France” song recorded and put on iTunes so I can put it on my iPod. And helping a someone change a tire is fabulous.
I wonder how the 10% of Iceland that is in France are doing?
Yeah but- let’s be real here- I’d give it 30 seconds before we just started calling it AssBall.
Oh, and I found a clearer sounding version of that song, if you fancy giving it a listen 🙂
Finally back to say that is a good version, though there is something to be said for an impromptu performance on the street.
And I can now also say congratulations on getting out of the Group for the first time ever. Your reward? Playing the hosts.
Another option on the “not confusing the ‘Murricans” front: “metric football” (stolen from my mom’s BF)
Hey Aoife! Great piece, thank you so much! Hey, some of your video links seem to no longer be working. Can you please update them? (In all your spare time? I know you’re busy. 😉 ) I’m sharing it all over the place. Thanks so much, very proud to have a grandmother from Athenry, Galway!